Arrest warrant against Sudan’s former foreign minister

The Public Prosecution of Sudan issued an arrest warrant yesterday against Ali Karti, former Minister of Foreign Affairs (2010-2015) and former coordinator of the Popular Defence Forces militia.

The Public Prosecution committee investigating the 1989 coup issued four other arrest warrants as well. Complaints were filed according to Article 96a of the Penal Code of 1983 against Omar Suleiman, Siddig El Fadul, El Safi Nureldin, and El Hadi El Awad in criminal case No. 5650 of 2019.

According to the warrants, the prosecution directed the seizure of the defendants’ money within a week.

Popular Defence Forces

The Popular Defence Forces are a paramilitary force, established after the military coup in 1989 as a dedicated Islamist militia. Under international law it is considered part of Sudan’s military because it was created by statute.

However, the militia was defined by the Al Bashir regime as a semi-military force of Sudanese citizens. Popular Defence Forces members receive training, uniforms, weapons, ammunition, and food, but no salaries.

It also operated as a reserve force for the Sudan Armed Forces. The militiamen were mainly mobilised from Darfur to fight against rebels in present South Sudan and is still operational in Darfur and South Kordofan. It also plays a major role in the distribution of weapons to, and military training for, tribal militias.

Assassination attempt

In a report to the Council of Ministers yesterday, Interior Minister Gen El Tereifi Dafallah, confirmed that investigations into the assassination attempt on Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok are proceeding at a steady pace, and that all security and logistical arrangements related to the conduct of the examinations have been completed.

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